"Yes Mithas, that definitely got the blood pumping. And you let me know if you ever need any more butter -- I'm happy to keep you well supplied."

"Ya, thanks again for that, it came in handy today. I should be good for a while, it doesn't take much. What I really need is get my hand on my component pouch, but if you all could keep you eyes open, collectively we might be able to get some what I need."

Mithas asks them all to be on the lookout for several things: a pinch of wool, a small piece of cured leather, a candle and a small pouch. He's pretty sure he can get his hands on some sand from the sandstone blocks the next time they swab the deck, but if anyone finds any beforehand it would also be helpful.

Master Scourge comes tromping down the stairs, and you can see a very obvious look of disappointment as he observes the wounded and fallen pirates.

"All right, you unruly scrubs! On the deck! Swabs - yer for hauling rope and knot work t'day! You, rigger!" he points to Jericho. "Up to the Crow's nest, lookout!"

Swabs: Profession(Sailor) or Strength check AND a Constitution check. You may take a daytime action.
----

Lazha, when you reach the galley, Kroop is drunk, barely holding himself together. "Ah righ, you," he slurs. "No' sur' ah can hep t'day - BRAAP!" And with a great final belch, he passes out, collapsing to the floor.

Make a Profession(Cook) or Intelligence check. If you take a daytime action, you will not have sufficient time to complete the day's meal, but you are not prevented from taking the action.

Octavia wants to talk to Jack Scrimshaw today, She sees the young lad running about and wants to find out how he got here.

She'll ask him how a young lad got on board, she'll ask him about the scrimshaw that he makes. If the conversation goes well she'll ask if he knows of any way she might be able to get something of value so she can barter on the ship.

@Mithas - It is good that you focused at your task. However, During the day, and seeing the hard work you are having to do to complete your task, each of Tilly, Sandara, and Rosie offer to help you with your duties, as necessary, on future days.
As they are helpful, each can provide a +2 bonus, applicable before the roll is made. A K A, you need to ask for help first.

@Lazha - You have settled upon what must be an old favorite for the crew, for at dinner that night you receive some appreciative grins and smiles, and some begrudging nods. Syl, however, still curses you when you come close.

@Octavia - Jack seems quite taken by the attention you bestow upon him. He shares that he first picked up the scrimshaw knife out in Ollo. When he learned he had a bit of talent for it, he hopped a ship for the better markets of Port Peril. One bad turn led to another, and now he's here.

He shares that you might be able to ask a loan from someone, though he has never done so. "Maybe if someone liked you a whole lot? Pirates arent the 'liking' sort, though," he concludes glumly.

After a rough start, he makes it to the top. Faced with the prospect of making the climb again, or staying and diligently watching, Jericho opts to watch carefully. At one point, Barefoot Sams Toppin comes up and joins him, offering to help watch out for a bit.
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Unfortunately, even with the temporary aid, Jericho's relatively poor vision nearly runs the ship up on a sandbar, before another eye catches it, shouts out a warning, and Mr. Plugg whips the wheel away from possible disaster.

@Lazha - The older half-elf grudgingly chats with you for a bit. "Been in the Shackles for some decades now. Came down from Cheliax. Fished mostly, fer years, but in transit one day the ship I was on passed the path of the Wormwood. Been here since then. What's it to you?"

@Octavia - You and Grok have a very wonderful evening of drinking, particularly as her usual drinking partner, Kroop, is already quite unconscious from drink. After quite a bit more to drink, "You n yer friends are all right," she slurs. "Come by th' shop t'morrow, day or eve. We can talk the business end o' piracy."Octavia - Fortitude Save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13.
Grok has been made Helpful.

@Mithas - On your way to the hammocks, you pass Tilly and Barefoot Samms on the way down, and they raise their glasses to you. "Never seen Scourge's cronies put down, especially not that way," Tilly toasts you. "Cheers for your courage! Let us know if there is anything we can do for you!" Samms offers.

Jericho spends most of the evening watching a game of hog lob. After watching a few games, he asks Rosie for a loan of a few gold to challenge one of the other crew members, and after a moments thought, she agrees. "Yer a big ----er, thats fer sure. An ye showed those ----s this morning with a couple good swings. But it'd be a ----ing shame to lose a few measely gold to these ----s, so don't aim too high. I'd challenge that tall dark ---t, Shivikah. Less likely to slit yer ----ing throat for winning."

Jericho approaches the tall Mwangi woman and challenges her to the game, and she agrees with a shrug, and a wager of 5 gold is agreed upon for the best of 5 lobs.

You awaken to an exceptionally warm morning on the Wormwood, and breakfast is a quiet event for the inebriated and hungover crew. Kroop has apparently sobered up enough to get the meal together on his own this morning.

@Mithas and @Octavia - Swabs are assigned to once again clean the deck, with holy stones and scrubbing brushes. There are general murmurs and complaints from all the swabs, which Scourge silences with a shout of "Ye'd rather be lashed t' the mast then? Go on, up an' on with ye!"
Tilly, Sandara, and Rosie offer to work near you today, and Jack Scrimshaw looks easy to also join you when Scourge singles him out. "you there, little Jack! Special duties today - yer to work the bilges. There's cargo as needs looked through, and yer small enough t' do it. Get goin on down there!"
Jack's face is crestfallen, but - wanting to avoid punishment - merely knuckles his forehead quickly and makes for the stairs.

@Jericho and the Riggers are put to the task of making routine repairs of the rigging.

@Lazha - When you go to the kitchen, you see the slight form of 'Caulky' Tarroon, the captain's cabin girl, in conversation with Kroop. "Special day?" Kroop asks. "What the hells he lookin' t celebrate?"
"It's the anniversary of a particularly special victory, he says," Caulky reports. "Can you not do this?"
Kroop squints, then asks, "Wait a touch, what day be it?"
"The 20th of Gozran," she reports, and Kroops face goes a bit paler.
He nods several times, then waves her away as he busies himself. When he sees @Lazha, he takes a long pull from a bottle, then waves it your direction. "Might want a hit before we do this. When yer ready, go get us a pig from the main hold."

@Lazha - Kroop grunts, takes another drink, then passes you the bottle. "It be the day I lost me soul to this ship. It do no be a happy memry. Get th' pig. This is best convers'n over butchery."

When you return with the pig, Kroop hands you a long knife. "Right, best get ye in on the bloody work right away. Hope you have a strong stomach. We'll start by bleeding out the throat. I'll hold 'im, you cut 'im. Then I'll show ye how t' dice 'im up from there, see."

Stealth check succeeds, you manage to get some sand. It is hot out, and still hard work concentrating on this the whole day. Make either a Strength or Constitution check with a +6 bonus from the three ladies who are helping you out. The check you are making to get sand isn't necessarily more than what could be done during the course of the day, so if you would like to take another ship action today, you may.

Ambrose, the Wormwood may have your body, but your soul is your own. They can never take that from you. Why, you've already found a fine way to keep your soul free from them, to put it where they can never touch you. There are other ways, but I don't mean to preach. If you ever want to hear more about the Goddess of the Third Way, and how you can keep your soul inviolate, just let me know.

But in the meantime, I've never bled a pig before, so I hope I do this right.

Never bled them from the neck, either. Just the wrists.

Survival check:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

And as long as we're up to our elbows in blood, why don't you tell me more about this anniversary.

@Lazha - Kroop looks at you cautiously. "Prosletyzer, then? Well, so be it. But me whole self now be bound to this boat. Gambled it away durin' a night o' cards with the captain. Thought he'd a tired o me by now, but he keeps me around, so I keep drinkin' until he lets me go."

Your technique needs polish, but you successfully make a cut to bleed out the pig without causing too much ruckus. Kroop grunts in approval, "Good on yeh. Try an' catch as much o the blood 's possible in that bucket there. Ain't gonna get it all, we'll need t' swab later."

Late in the morning, as you are all working away, Jack Scrimshaw runs up on deck and makes straight for Mr. Plugg. Mithas, Octavia, and Jericho (all being on deck) easily see his ashen face and hear him report, "Sir, there's rats bigger n' me down in the bilges! One bit me!"

Plugg looks cross for a bit, then curses. "Need to keep me out of the food... All right! You three!" he points out Mithas, 'Antonius' and Jericho. "Get her friend from the galley and get t' the bilges. Ye've been volunteered for rat catchin' duty!"

Octavia will try and visit Grok during the day. Hoping her new found friend will help her get her equipment back, and also hoping to sneak away from the blistering sun for a few minutes.

Octavia will keep chat with Grok a bit, laugh about a few jokes they shared last night and after a while she'll hint that it would be really helpful if she could get a few of her things back (or all if Grok is feeling friendly), like her sword and maybe a spell component pouch.

I forgot to buy a spell component pouch at the start of the campaign so I didn't even have one when we were captured, but that kind of fits with Octavia's background anyway.

She'll then return to work and hope she doesn't have to work too hard to catch up.

Str Check: 1d20 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 - 2 = 4 doh!

Later when they are ordered to the bilges, Octavia will hurry down to the kitchen and let Lazha know what they've been ordered to do. And if the other's willingly go she'll go along

@Octavia - Grok gives you a friendly grunt when you first enter, and does indeed remember the evening of drinking and conversation. When you ask for your sword back, she thinks for a moment, shrugs, then goes to a locker, opens it up, and surprisingly offers you back your other items as well. "Want the whole kit? It's pretty safe here in my shop, though you can get a key to a locker down the hold if you like. Might be easier to access, though might also get pinched. Tell yer friends they can get theirs too, if they need."

When you ask for a spell component pouch, she shakes her head. "Afraid I've only got the one from yer friend, and he's like to want it. Keep an eye out for bits here and there though, or make me a list and I'll see what can be found without pilfering the ship's stores. Bits of this and that turn up all th' time."

Cut-Throat Grok's attitude has been improved to helpful, and as such she is willing to provide some material assistance. She is serious about returning all of your gear if you want it, but you need to come by when she is either open or sober enough to open up (during the evening). I will post the specific contents of her "store" in the database, hopefully by today.

When you are summoned away, Kroop gives you a wave and takes up his cleaver. [b]"Come back when yer done. Be careful, em bilge rats can get big. Lemme know if there's good meat on 'em." The black chicken on his shoulder gives a loud bwaaak as you exit.

The four of you descend to the lower hold and open the hatch down to the bilges. It is completely dark, foul smelling, and very hot down there. You can hear brackish water sloshing about as the ship sways in the breeze. Wisps of spiderwebs drift just inside the hatch.

Jericho looks in, shudders a bit, then turns to the rest of you, "Ok, I can go in there first, but I can't see in darkness. Have any of you a light?"

"I can try and go first if you like, Grok was kind enough to give me back my things and that includes my weapons, she also mentioned the three of you should head by when she's there and see her about what you had before. In the mean time maybe these would help"

She offers the group 2 daggers, She then takes a look around, "I'm sure we could just grab a lantern from the hold here couldn't we?

Perception Check: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

Oh sorry forgot to be applying the disguise. Should I just roll from here on out? I am assuming I've used 3 since coming on board and I would guess that I had to use one the day before so I guess I have six uses left?

@Lazha - "By the sound of that water, it might be deep enough that they are hiding under it," Jericho observes, "So that is likely to be quite helpful."

@Mithas - Jericho nods in agreement.

@Octavia - You find a lamp along the far wall, and it is easy to retrieve and light.
Yes, please roll with each day. Sounds right re: uses of the kit, though you don't necessarily have to use the disguise kit each day, of course.

Jericho grunts thanks, then begins lowering himself down into the hold. "Here we go!"

Lazha takes the proferred dagger from Antonius, and follows him as he descends the ladder. The rats attacked him before she had reached the water, and she watches as Antonius and Jericho kill two of them.

I'd thought to stun them, but since there's only one left I might as well kill it.

Lazha moves between Antonius and Jericho and slashes at the remaining rat.

Lazha moves to the space above Octavia and to the left of Jericho and attacks Rat 1 with the dagger.

The rat next to Jericho leaps out at him
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 121d4 ⇒ 1
...but just misses.

Three more forms suddenly surge up from the murky waters:
The first makes for @Lazha
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 191d4 ⇒ 2
and scores a bite on her arm. 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12 Though it is a foul wound, you shrug off the worst of the ill effects.

Lazha grimaces at the pain in her arm. "Naderi," she say, "Help me put these creatures down."

Lazha touches the rat that bit her, using Gentle Rest.

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13

Gentle Rest:

Your touch can fill a creature with lethargy, causing a living creature to become staggered for 1 round as a melee touch attack. If you touch a staggered living creature, that creature falls asleep for 1 round instead. Undead creatures touched are staggered for a number of rounds equal to your Wisdom modifier.

You unleash a powerful scream, inaudible to all but a single target. The target is dazed for 1 round and takes 1d6 points of sonic damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d6). A successful save negates the daze effect and halves the damage.